September 2015 Program

Professor Michael Epstein is an interdisciplinary scholar and author specializing in media, telecommunications, international law, and popular culture. In 2014, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would have adopted a “commercially reasonable” two-track approach to net neutrality. Under this plan, ISPs could have introduced tiered service for consumers and providers, allowing for a “fast-lane” or “slow lane” connection. After a deluge of public comments by consumers and the tech industry, and prodding by President Obama, the FCC changed course in February 2015, selectively subjecting the Internet to common-carrier regulation under Title II of the Communications Act. Professor Epstein will speak on the specifics of this regulatory about-face and discuss the current legal challenge to these new rules.